Here's mine, it offers everyday personal safety, for under $10. Perfect for kids.
Yesterday a neighbor shared with me an article about "lessons learned". One is utterly simple: Carry one of those new LED tactical flashlights with high output. Don't fool around, get one with 15-20,000 lumens & a zoom lens, allowing use in broad daylight. A 60 watt incandescant light bulb is around 800 lumens.
"You can pull out your high lumens pocket flashlight and blind the guy (usually a guy). The high powered beam will take away his vision for 3-4 seconds, which is an eternity and enough time to flight or fight. There’s also no shame in surviving and getting you and your loved ones out of harm." This flashlight is great when you are out in public: "Use and carry your light with you at all times. It’s the best non-lethal and practical option available, in my opinion. You can take it anywhere – including on an airplane – and if it’s a high lumen model it will blind people in broad daylight. I can’t recommend this purchase enough."

Here's a 15,000 lumen model I use, for $9ea., but it is 8" long, or too long for airplane carry on. It is Ok in checked bags, including lithium batteries. You can find more compact ones, usually with fewer lumens. This one's barrel is under an inch, and the head is 1 1/2". It also makes a nice baton.
PS, these same batteries power Tesla cars, but they use pallets of them. Enjoy.https://www.ebay.com/itm/2X-Police-1.../251969789529?

Enjoy your light, but don't expect 15,000 lumens. I am dismayed that sellers can get away with such an outlandish claim. I assume from the "T6" that the emitter is an XM-L T6, which might put out 1000 (or a bit more) lumens in a quality flashlight with good heat sink, wiring and contacts. In an Ultrafire I'd expect maybe 700-900 lumens. That said, the focusing head will certainly concentrate that output into a blindingly bright spot.

__________________Did you hear about the butcherwho backed into the meat grinder?He got a little behind in his orders....

I'm a big fan of Maglite flashlights. Made here, quality, etc. A couple years back I bought one for the Trillium. Three D cells, very bright, LED. It worked so well we bought a second. It took about 2 months to fail. In order to provide the flashing, strobe effects, etc. they use a microcontroller inside. As such the flash light has a soft switch. Much like a remote control, the flash light is always on. When you press the on button the controller turn on the flash light. The problem is after time the ends of the batteries oxidize and make a poor connection. Until you clean them the light fails and must be continually restarted. Nothing worse than a flashlight that won't stay on. I'm not saying these will do the same thing but the flashing options scare me away.

Flashlights have come a long way since I bought this Kel-Lite in 1978. It served me well for many years including one night when I came across a guy who was on top of a girl in the street gutter in a warehouse area at night. He has just ripped her shirt buttons off and was trying to sexually assault her. At one point he grabbed my hand and I could not get free, and as he pulled me closer to him I used the flashlight on the back of his arm to get free from his grip.

Made of solid aircraft aluminum, this light still works but has become less practical than modern LED lights. Still, it has been good to me so I will keep it.

Mike McGee, Thank you. I think you are telling me a merchant has exagerated the performance of his/her product. Now, why would they do that? Hah! I'm not surprised. That said buy the brightest you can in a size that suits you.

I agree that none should be used casually or carelessly.

Guns and yes, laser pointers are both in waay different categories. Both of those can cause permanent damage.

a car highbeam is around 1000 lumens... its ludicrous to claim 10000 or 15000 lumens from a LED flashlight. Even a 1000 lumen flashlight is far TOO bright for most purposes you would use a handheld light for

lumens is a measurement of the TOTAL light emitted, its NOT a measurement of how bright it is in the center spot (that would be 'lux' not lumens).

Just MHO/experience with LED flash lights that no one has mentioned. I've carried and used a MiniMag AA with the glass bulb for over 20 years, for work/home and use it everyday. After 10 years use the last one started acting up so I went to the big box store for a new one. They only carried the MM with the LED bulb and I bought one. I've found its light to be way to bright for almost everything you're looking at close up such as a part number. The intense brightness washes out what you're looking for/at and blinds you with the glare even with the beam well off center. It does work very well for distances over 3' though. One other thing I've noticed after using the LED MM for a while. Just like a Streamlight JR I once used for a while, the batteries seemed to only last about 1/3 as long with the same usage . LEDs are great inside the eggs but..... OK, that's my story and I'm stickin' to it .

A GOOD flashlight is worth its weight in gold. An 6" pink camouflage flashlight with light on one end and a tazer on the other end, not so good. I'd throw it in the dumpster, but don't want to contaminate the dumpster.

Just MHO/experience with LED flash lights that no one has mentioned. I've carried and used a MiniMag AA with the glass bulb for over 20 years, for work/home and use it everyday. After 10 years use the last one started acting up so I went to the big box store for a new one. They only carried the MM with the LED bulb and I bought one. I've found its light to be way to bright for almost everything you're looking at close up such as a part number. The intense brightness washes out what you're looking for/at and blinds you with the glare even with the beam well off center. It does work very well for distances over 3' though. One other thing I've noticed after using the LED MM for a while. Just like a Streamlight JR I once used for a while, the batteries seemed to only last about 1/3 as long with the same usage . LEDs are great inside the eggs but..... OK, that's my story and I'm stickin' to it .

*good* LED flashlights have a current regulator circuit, so they aren't stupid bright with a new battery but rapidly fall off and get dimmer with battery age. if the flashlight has 3 AAA or AA batteries for 4.5V, its almost certainly unregulated.

My preferred single AAA keychain sized lights have typically 3 brightness levels, a dim mode very suitable for close range work in dark places, a medium mode for most things and a turbo bright mode where you need the extra kick, like for seeing across a dark field at night. the one I carry every day lasts like 5 hours of continuous on in 'medium' on a single AAA cell, its 0.5" diameter, and 2.5" long, and has a tempered glass lens so it doesn't scratch. the brightest 'turbo' mode is about 100 lumens. its also a very natural white, neither cool nor warm. if anyone cares, its a Fenix LD01, but I think that model has been replaced. it also wasn't cheap.